Friday, June 24, 2011

Welcome back to Quick Silver Ranch, book 2 - Saddle Up is Jared and Angie's story. They appear briefly in the first book Roped and Ready. Jared deserved his own book and who better than to be his nemesis but Angie.

Here's a blurb:

At loose ends after her best friend's wedding, Angie Davidson needs a vacation, so when the gorgeous yet aloof co-owner of the Quick Silver Ranch insists she stay to explore their sexual attraction, she agrees. Though she eagerly bows to his commanding touch in the bedroom, Jared's distant air after lovemaking sparks too many bad memories. Dare she yield to his sexy persuasion and prove he has nothing to fear or will he abandon her like everyone else in her life?

Eager to explore Angie’s vulnerable, submissive nature, Jared plans two weeks of toys and other naughty play. However, the last time he reached for a woman—mentally and physically—she rejected his dominant streak. Jared has no intention of letting Angie that close, no matter how sweetly she shivers beneath his hands.

Can two bruised hearts discover a way to make their tantalizing escape into the perfect way of life?

Here's an excerpt:

Angie drank in the feeling of his body against hers. His hardness to her softness, and part of her wanted to melt in a puddle at his feet, another part wanted to be bold and daring.

“Becca mentioned that you're closing down the ranch for a while.” Maybe a little flirting would work.

“Two weeks. There needs to be some renovations done, and the staff needs some downtime. It was a good time to do it with Tyler gone.”

“How much can be done in two weeks?” She thought back to when they were renovating the offices she now worked in, it seemed like it took months and with every little problem the workmen came to her.

“A lot, if you know how to motivate people.”

“Really?” Angie tilted her head up and fluttered her eyelashes. “And how would you do that?”

The corners of Jared's lips tilted up. “Lots of money.”

Okay, subtle flirting wasn't working with him. Her fingers trailed over his broad shoulder, to his neck, where she stroked his dark brown hair. His hand tightened on her lower back, bringing their hips together. And Angie swore she could feel his hard erection. Good, he wasn't immune to her.

She let her fingers skim from his neck, down over his shoulder blade, down his spine, over his well-defined ass, until she could rest her palm over his butt cheek. Then she squeezed it.

“Behave.” His breath brushed her ear and he swatted her ass.

“You hit me.” She couldn't believe it; he actually smacked her on the ass. Not that it hurt, but heat flowed through her body making her nipples grow harder. She’d never realized a little swat could make her so hot.

“I'll do worse if you don't behave yourself, Angie.”

“Promise?” The word was out of her mouth before she even realized it. The music ended, Jared escorted her back to the table and pulled out her chair.

His palms cupped her cheeks, tilting her face up to his. “We'll talk later.” He dropped a hard brief kiss on her lips before striding away.

Angie's heart skipped several beats while she observed Jared cross the room. She put her fingers to her lips and sank down onto the chair with her core pulsing with need and her panties wet. If he met her later, they wouldn't be talking if she had anything to say about it.

Monday, June 20, 2011

My new book Quick Silver Ranch: Saddle Up releases on Friday. And I just found out about it today.

If you read Quick Silver Ranch: Roped & Ready this story has Jared, Tyler's business partner, and Angie, Becca's best friend with their own story.

Here's the blurb:

At loose ends after her best friend's wedding, Angie Davidson needs a vacation, so when the gorgeous yet aloof co-owner of the Quick Silver Ranch insists she stay to explore their sexual attraction, she agrees. Though she eagerly bows to his commanding touch in the bedroom, Jared's distant air after lovemaking sparks too many bad memories. Dare she yield to his sexy persuasion and prove he has nothing to fear or will he abandon her like everyone else in her life?Eager to explore Angie’s vulnerable, submissive nature, Jared plans two weeks of toys and other naughty play. However, the last time he reached for to a woman—mentally and physically—she rejected his dominant streak. Jared has no intention of letting Angie that close, no matter how sweetly she shivers beneath his hands. Can two bruised hearts discover a way to make their tantalizing escape into the perfect way of life?

Monday, June 13, 2011

Over the weekend, I was reminded again of how some writers lack being professional.

It came up when a group of us were talking about reviews, and how we like to thank the reviewer for reading our books, even if the review is not a good one.

Some said they never respond to reviews, other say they do sometimes. I've been trying to respond to reviews only because I think of it as a professional courtesy, like thank yous to judges in a contest.

Then someone pointed out how not to respond to a bad review and gave us a link. I went an read what this writer had done.

Let me say, is this writer certainly burned her bridges to not only publishing, but to even trying to sell a book. She took the review to task for saying her book was riddled with spelling and grammatical errors, and that the reviewer downloaded the wrong copy of the book, not the newer version.

This was a self-published book. The reviewer replied back telling the writer, that the reviewer stands by the review, in which the reviewer said it was a good book with a good plot, but difficult to read due to the typo's and grammatical errors. And even gave the version and date they downloaded the book.

The author came back defending herself, and called the reviewer a liar that the reviewer couldn't have possibly download the correct book. The others began to get into the act. Especially because the author said to the reviewer "You can't click through the book to the end, so you obviously haven't read it."

Several pointed out on a Kindle you do click to the end (just about every e-reader you either touch the screen or a button to go to the next page), and they too had read this writers book and agree with the reviewer.

This went on with the author continually coming back telling people they were out of their minds, posting reviews from Amazon, claiming everyone was out of their mind. More comments made by readers, all civil and pointing out the flaws in the authors replies, the author finally just posted an expletive.

Right there I stopped reading and said to myself "this author just ruined her career."

In the writing business, word gets out very quickly if you're not professional. With the Internet editors and agents can search on an author's name to see who they are, where they've posted, etc.

My Mom always said "If you can't say something nice don't say anything at all." Holds true. To be a professional writer means being able to take criticism, to see reviews you don't agree with and to know that not everyone is going to love or even like your book.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Today, I'm very please to have Randi Alexander as my guest blogger she will talk about herself and her new release Chase and Seduction.

Welcome Randi!!

Tell us a little about yourself:

Hi Marie, thank you so much for hosting me today. I've been writing romance for ab

out four years, and in the last year, I've fallen in love with erotic romance. Especially, cowboys. Even though I'm a city girl, I have wild fantasies about men in Stetsons and boots, and I use these daydreams to create characters and plots for my books. My first book, Chase and Seduction was released May 27 from The Wild Rose Press' Cowboy Kink line.

What do like the most and the least about writing?

I love being able to find a story in my own mind, create plot twists and character quirks, and write really hot love scenes. I like to dream up a story a

nd just let it flow onto the paper (well, laptop, actually.) And it's so much fun to go back to a story after a month or two, and say, "Did I write that? Wow!" Sometimes I surprise myself.

The only thing I don't like is that, for a writer, there is no end to what can be done. There are always blogs to frequent or write, marketing to do, Facebooking to catch up on, and the ever-present blank screen that needs filling. But it's important to take a

break, connect with family and friends, exercise, go outside, have fun. And even more important to not feel guilty about not being at your computer!

Give us a peek into your latest published work?

Country music superstar/actor Chase Tanner has yet to be denied anything–and he’s never wanted anything or anyone more than gorgeous screenplay writer Reno Linden. So when the film they are working on is finally finished, Chase decid

es to turn up the volume on seducing Reno.

Reno Linden lived a quiet, rural life until she was thrust into the Hollywood scene when her book was adapted to film. Chase Tanner is larger than life, sinfully sexy and hell-bent on getting her into bed. Skittish after a failed wedding engagement, Reno risks the plunge into Chase’s arms, and is surprised that her good girl self can keep up with bad boy Chase.

Though Chase returns to his cowboy roots often, and Reno cherishes the time spent with him on his ranch, the two find their careers pulling them in d

ifferent directions. Will their attraction survive the glitz and stress of fame?

What’s next on the writing horizon for you?

My cowgirl romance novella, One Tast of You, has finaled in the Passionate Ink’s Stroke of Midnight Contest. The winner will be announced at the Passionate Ink Party at the Romance Writers of America’s National Conference in New York City on J

une 29. Wish me luck! (Congratulations Randi)

I'm working on an outline for another book for the Cowboy Kink line, about a bull rider and a nanny. Two rather opposite occupations, requiring very different personalities.

Is there anything you want to tell readers?

To celebrate the release of Chase and Seduction, I'm giving away, to one lucky *commenter, an e-copy of my novella Her Cowboy Stud. Just leave

a comment today and we'll choose a winner tomorrow. *Commenter must be 18 years of age or older to win.

I'm also giving away a cowgirl hat to one subscriber to my newsletter. For more details, and to sign up for this contest, please go to my website, RandiAlexander.com And while you're there, you can read the first chapter of Chase and Seduction.

Excerpt of Chase and Seduction:

Chase grabbed Reno’s arm and rushed her out of the building. As the door closed behind him, he said, “I get damn uncomfortable when women cry.”

Reno kept her head down and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

He stopped and bent to look at her face. “Aw, not you, too!”

She giggled. “It was just so touching.”

“Baby, you’re a sensitive soul.”

“Me?” She smiled. “I’m sensitive? You’re the one who did all this.” She gestured to the bar. “Singing and giving the hat off your head to people you don’t know—”

He shook his head and started walking. “It’s the least I could do. It was nothing.”

She jogged to catch up. Was he embarrassed to be caught doing something nice? He did a lot for others. She read a story about him, way back when they were casting the movie, that talked about the domestic shelters Chase sponsored. Hundreds of them in cities across the US, in honor of his mother. Lacing her fingers into his, she said, “I was proud to be with you tonight.”

He ran his hand through his hair and looked at her. “I’m glad you came with. People treat me different mostly, and it gets old.”

“Lonely.”

He unlaced their fingers and put his arm around her. “Yeah.” Helping her into the truck, he kissed her fingers. “But not anymore.” Their gazes fused, and Reno felt her chest expanding, as if her soul linked with his.

As he closed the door and walked around the hood, she whispered, “And never again, Chase."